Kevin Abdoelkariem, a Muslim man of Surinamese-Hindustani descent, placed third in the Mr. Gay Netherlands competition. In media coverage surrounding the event Abdoelkariem refers to his identity as a gay Muslim man, noting that he “feels at home in a mosque”. Reflecting on his family’s response to his sexual orientation, Abdoelkariem notes, “my immediate family didn’t have problems with it, but I have relatives who would never accept it”.